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Traumatic Weaning

My little girl is almost 13 months old. Around 10 1/2 months she started nuring only morning and bedtime. This was a very smooth transition, and I never felt that she was upset by it in any way. She has also been drinking water from a sippy cup for months and does great with it. Around her first birthday, I started giving whole milk in a cup. I decided to try dropping the morning feeding which she seemed ok with for a few days. Now she has become very insistent on nursing throughout the day. When we sit in a chair to play, she starts reaching down my shirt. I have started letting her nurse at these times b/c she gets very upset and cannot be distracted from it. It seems like she just wants to play b/c she will latch on and then pop off and talk and giggle. It has really become difficult at naptime as well. For months I have rocked her for a minute or two and then laid her down awake and she goes to sleep on her own. Now, when we go through that process she starts crying hysterically and trying to nurse, but again she just ends up playing. In an effort to get back to a normal state, I resumed nursing in the morning but it hasn't seemed to help. Not sure what to do! I am fine with continuing to nurse morning and night but would prefer to not have the daytime issues.

Re: Traumatic Weaning

It's really common for babies to renew their interest in nursing around the year mark. At ten months, they are so easily distracted, but at twelve months, separation anxiety often rekindles that desire for connection, you know?

So what you describe sounds very normal. If you want to continue the gradual weaning process, you can gently continue to try to distract your baby with food or milk, knowing that this clingy phase is natural and will pass. I wouldn't say "no" when your baby is desperate for that comfort, but you can start to set limits like, "not now, honey; we'll nurse in a few minutes."

(But also, nursing a toddler can be pretty fun, and you can set limits and do it on your terms. So if you DO want to keep nursing, I'm all for it! )

You can call me JoMo!

Mom to baby boy Joe, born 5/4/09 and breastfed for more than two and a half years, and baby girl Maggie, born 7/9/12.

Re: Traumatic Weaning

Her increase in nursing may not have anything to do with the weaning that was happening. She may be cutting more teeth, or going through a developmental change. Its totally normal. Both my kids upped their nursing at around age 1. And I know when I had my second child my son who had pretty much weaned, started asking again. Sometimes they ask just to see if its available to them. To make sure that comfort is there if needed.